Radio Module Power Management via Dynamic State Machine Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional wireless communication systems face challenges in providing low cost and low power capabilities as they are integrated into smaller devices, requiring efficient power management to extend battery life and reduce size.
Innovation Solution
A radio module with a DC-to-DC converter, regulators, and a management unit implementing a state machine to control power distribution among circuit blocks, allowing for customizable power profiles and state transitions to minimize power consumption, including a wake-up logic circuit and retention memory to store values.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If conventional radio circuit designs are used in small devices, then wireless communication capability is provided, but power consumption is high and device size is large
Solution Approach 1:
The radio circuit is divided into multiple independent circuit blocks (first circuit block, second circuit block, third circuit block) that can be independently controlled. Each block can be selectively powered on or off based on operational requirements, allowing the system to reduce power consumption by activating only the necessary blocks while maintaining compact integration within the same chip footprint.
2Productivity
If all circuit blocks are kept on to maintain functionality, then device responsiveness is improved, but power consumption increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements dynamic power management where the state of each circuit block is adjusted in real-time based on operational mode. The management unit receives mode indicators and selectively activates or deactivates specific circuit blocks, enabling the device to transition between high-performance modes (all blocks on) and low-power modes (selective blocks on), thus optimizing the balance between responsiveness and power consumption.
3Use of energy by moving object
If circuit blocks are turned off to save power, then power consumption is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The management unit automatically controls the activation and deactivation of circuit blocks based on received mode indicators without requiring complex external control logic. The system self-manages its power state by interpreting mode signals and independently adjusting the operational state of each circuit block, simplifying the overall control architecture while enabling fine-grained power management.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This solution enables low power consumption and extended battery life by optimizing power usage based on device needs, reducing unnecessary states and leakage, and providing efficient power management for low-cost, low-power wireless communication systems.
Implementation Method 1
a DC-to-DC converter coupled with the batters and configured to convert a battery voltage to a first DC voltage level
Implementation Method 2
at least one regulator coupled with the DC-to-DC converter and configured to covert the first DC voltage level to a second DC voltage level
Data Source
AI summary
A radio module, radio module, comprising a battery; and a radio circuit, the radio circuit comprising: a DC-to-DC converter coupled with the batters and configured to convert a battery voltage to a first DC voltage level; at least one regulator coupled with the DC-to-DC converter and configured to covert the first DC voltage level to a second DC voltage level; a plurality of circuit blocks coupled with the at least one regulator such that the second DC voltage level is configured to provide power to the plurality of circuit blocks; a real time clock configured to provide a clock signal to the plurality of circuit blocks; and a management unit coupled with the plurality of circuit blocks and configured to implement a state machine to control the plurality of circuit blocks, wherein the state machine causes the management unit to cause the second DC voltage level to be applied to and removed from at least some of the plurality of circuit blocks during various states comprising the state machine, wherein the plurality of circuit blocks comprise a real time clock and a retention memory configured to store register values and component values for the plurality of circuit blocks, and wherein the management unit comprises a wake up logic circuit, the state machine comprising a lower power state in which only the wake up logic circuit, real time clock, and retention memory are on.